Relapse
by Just One More Season
Summary: Gilbert keeps falling in love with Mathew, but every time they get close to a happy ending they have to start all over again. Will they be able to make it through without Relapsing right back to the beginning, or are they doomed to cycle through the same tragedies? ( (Unsure about the rating, as the story progresses i'll probably change it) PruCan
1. Chapter 1

He would gladly live through it all again if he was given the choice. Gilbert would face the heartbreaks if it meant that the future would be filled with their laughter, the dark days of his past would be noting but annoyances on the way to what was a bright and comforting present. He didn't even have to think about it, because he already knew that he would try it again if he could.

And he was going to until he got it right.

Gilbert would keep living his life over again until he managed to save Mathew. He simply couldn't understand why each and every time it was him and not Gilbert that died. The only thing that kept him from collapsing over the now cold body in a mental break down was the single driving thought that had brought him back time and time again. _Save him this time._ Gilbert leaned down and kissed Mathew gently on the forehead, almost picturing the quiet boy's indigo eyes flittering open, laced with surprise and affection. But they didn't.

Gilbert couldn't even count how many times he had relived this day anymore. He knew that there would be a celebration the night before and the brand of shirt that Mathew would wear as he left the house. Gilbert remembered that phone call that would spark and argument and he remembered apologize far too late. He knew everything there was to know about the day Mathew died, no matter when or how it occurred he knew. And as he slowly moved the empty shell of a person off of his lap and placed it on the ground, Gilbert knew exactly where to find little white wildflowers that he would make into a crown before leaving.

He wouldn't give up on a happy ever after, not for all the money in the world. He would rather die than stop trying to save Mathew. Gilbert didn't want to even think about giving up on the one person that continuously gave and gave and gave to the world without expecting much back. People like Mathew were rare and to let one slip through was a crime Gilbert wasn't willing to commit.

Gingerly resting the crown in the fluffy blond waves that had been braided and dyed and long and short but always unmistakably Mathew's, it didn't matter when he met Mathew or what he was dressed like, Gilbert would always recognize him. Gilbert knew that he would find him on the day before his brother's birthday, every single time he found him on that day. Gilbert would get to relearn everything that he had grown to love and care about concerning the boy in front of him.

He knew that he had to leave soon or he would risk breaking the cycle, but leaving Mathew like this never got any easier.

He closed his eyes briefly, doing his best to shut out the memories that danced behind his eyelids. Each death bleeding into the next, shot, stabbed, run over, drowned, all equally as horrifying, and yet unique in the levels of terror and pain they caused.

He took a deep breath and looked at Mathew for what would be the last time in a long, long time. He desperately tried to force himself to remember the way that his hair framed his face and the one little cowlick that curled up strangely. He etched the design of his glasses into his brain and recounted the squares on his plaid shirt.

Knowing all the while that it was futile. He wouldn't remember the cycle until he had already reached the end of it. He wouldn't recall that Mathew wore this particular shirt on the day that he died until Gilbert was holding his corpse in his hands, begging him to come back. It was a vicious cycle, and one that he continued to go through until they lived past this godforsaken day.

He brushed Mathew's cheeks softly with his thumb, before standing quietly and turning towards the grass behind him. He closed his eyes and stepped as if dropping into a crack in the earth that went straight down to the core. His mind slipping in and out as the wind rushed past him and he tried to focus on remembering as much as he possibly could. The drop down stole a memory from him every time he blinked. Just before hitting the void and losing everything, Gilbert began to cling desperately to anything that he could inside his mind. He could see blond hair and mesmeric eyes. He stared kept his eyes open as wide as he could to prevent losing the little details and searched desperately for name, coming up with just one before his conscious faded out.

 _Birdie_.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry that this took so long! I wasn't sure how I wanted to write the scene where they met, like always all the rights to their proper people and enjoy!**

Mathew sighed and leaned back in his chair. He had been working on this paper for nearly two hours and he hadn't made any progress that couldn't have been found and rewritten off of Wikipedia. Yawning, Mathew stood and grabbed his jacket. Deciding that a mid-night coffee trip might help him shake off his midnight writing funk.

Walking across the park grounds, Mathew took a deep breath of the fresh air and paused in the clearing on the way to the coffee shop just down the road. After over a year of living in this part of town, he should've been accustomed to the pitch-black nights, but it was difficult to be comfortable when it felt like someone could attack you at any moment. The only thing that kept him from turning around and settling back into his well-lit apartment with a blanket and his laptop was the promise of fresh coffee.

He began walking again, only a quarter of the way through the park that stretched between his dwellings and the Starbucks when he heard the footsteps. The fall of the boots (Mathew assumed because he had never heard sneakers that could make that much noise) against the downtrodden path were as loud as his own heart beating in his ears. Resisting the urge to run, Mathew calmly adjusted the speed he walked with, focusing on the neon sign advertising the coffee shop just ahead of him.

The footsteps persisted.

Taking another deep breath, Mathew began to run through everything he could remember about self-defense.

Unfortunately, that wasn't much.

If he had his hockey stick with him, the person behind Mathew wouldn't have stood a chance, but without it the Canadian didn't have anything to defend himself with, most of his defenses relying on an object to put the force behind.

He was half way through the park when he heard the footsteps pick up speed again, the few leaves that had started to fall early crunching underneath their feet. Not risking turning around to see who it was, Mathew briefly considered making a dash for the coffee shop, already knowing he wouldn't make it.

"HEY!" Mathew turned to the left to see a mop of silver hair dashing toward him. Confused for a second, Mathew briefly looked around, seeing only himself in the small bit of light that had reached out into the park, whoever was behind him was still hidden in the dark.

"Hi?" Mathew waved at the boy as he neared.

"Hey! You forgot your keys at the apartment." The boy stuck his hands in his pockets.

"I'm sorry bu-" the boy, who Mathew could see had skin paler than paper, held a finger to his lips before throwing a casual glance behind Matt. Nodding slowly, Mathew caught on to what the stranger was doing. "But I'll be more careful next time."

"Okay, you heading home?" Distracted momentarily by the strange accent, it took Mathew a few seconds to process what he had said.

"Um, no. Just headed to the Starbucks." Pointing across the street, Mathew glanced behind him nervously.

"I was headed there myself, have to finish that paper for English, right?" Mathew nodded slowly before he felt his hand being taken by someone else's and dragged forward.

"Just go with it, the guy's less likely to attack you if you're with someone." The whisper left the air to fog up in front of his companion's face, obscuring any details Mathew might have learned about him.

Enchanted by this strange figure beside him, Mathew took a moment to look him over for signs of a prank-a whoopee cushion, a water balloon, something. But the man, as far as he could tell, was simply being nice.

As they reached the light of the coffee shop, Mathew could vaguely make out a hooded figure about twenty feet away. Sighing in relief, he entered the store with- who was it that was holding his hand again? Mathew looked at the person in front of him again now that they had proper lighting.

He was right about the skin color, so pale he could almost see through it, and the hair was silver, reflecting any and all light that hit it. However he now was able to notice the black t-shirt and ripped up black jeans that clung to the skin. Small chains (just long enough to form a single loop but not enough to hit against themselves) were located on each side. He had on a necklace with a large, almost gothic styled, cross on it, and when he turned his eyes were startlingly red.

"Sorry, what?" It took a few seconds for Matt to realize the man in front of him had asked him something.

"I asked what you wanted to drink." Blinking a few times Matt ordered his drink and looked out the front windows again.

"I don't think that he's gonna come after you again tonight, I sure as hell wouldn't if I saw someone as awesome as me guarding you." Chuckling, Mathew grabbed his drink and it wasn't until he went to go sit down that he realized he was still holding the stranger's hand. Blushing, he let go and went to sit down, his companion following shortly behind him.

"My name's Gilbert, what's yours Birdie?" Mathew blinked.

"Birdie? Where'd you get that from?" Gilbert gestured at his chest and Mathew blushed. He hadn't realized that he was still wearing t-shirt that his twin had bought him. The white t-shirt had an eagle on it, holding an American flag between its talons. They had found it while the two went shopping for college and when April fools day rolled around Mathew found it wrapped up in a box on the foot of his bed. "It was present." He muttered before taking a sip of his coffee. The boy across from him laughed, a warm and comforting sound on a chilled night.

"It's cool, in fact I love the sparkles on the eyes." Mathew sunk microscopically in his seat and heard Gilbert laugh again.

"It's better than your wannabe rock star outfit." He challenged and the laughing stopped.

"I am a rock star, I'm drummer in a band that just got back from our tour."

"Sure." Gilbert placed a hand on his chest, his skin looking even paler against the dark background.

"You disbelief wounds me Birdie." Mathew snorted before taking another sip of his drink.

"Stop calling me birdie, my name's Mathew." For a moment, a flash of recognition crossed the man's face but it was gone before Mathew could be sure it was there.

"Well then Mathew, let's finish our drinks and then he awesome me will walk you home to make sure that guy doesn't come back." Laughing at his companion's self-proclaimed awesomeness, Mathew took a drink and sat up straighter in his chair.

Mathew hoped that he would never finish his drink, this guy was much more entertaining than any essay he had ever been assigned.


	3. Chapter 3

Still slightly buzzed from his coffee trip, Gilbert rubbed at his eyes as he unlocked the door to the apartment. He payed no attention to the sounds of someone walking down the hall as he slipped out of his boots and wandered into the kitchen to search for food that wasn't gluten free muffins.

"And what kept _you_ out so late Gilbert?" Gilbert sighed, trying his best to ignore the Frenchman standing in the living room. However, instead of retreating back to his bedroom, Francis crept up closer.

"Nothing unusual." The lie slipped off his tongue easier than it should have. The whole night had been unusual, from the group meeting to his chance encounter with Mathew. Gilbert realized too late that something in his face must have changed ever so slightly when Francis gave his strange little laugh.

"Ohohon, did a certain someone run into a certain someone?" Sighing, Gilbert pulled out a piece of cold pizza before facing his friend.

"Francis, please make sense when you're talking." Francis huffed, crossing his arms over his pajama shirt.

"There's no need to be rude mon ami." Gilbert rolled his eyes and went to leave the pale white room when Francis spoke again, placing a hand on Gilbert's shoulder.

"Was it Ivan again?" His voice was merely a whisper in the room but the weight of the name seemed to drive a spike into Gilbert.

"No, and _mein gott_ am I thankful." Too many lies between Gilbert those that he should trust. He shrugged off Francis's hand and reminded himself to apologize in the morning. It wasn't Francis's fault that he was in this mess. It was no one's fault really.

It's just the way that things were now.

Flopping down on his creaky bed he quickly finished the pizza he had brought with him before laying down. The pale blue walls seemed to mock him for his choices in life. Echoing back everything he didn't want to think about as he tried to sleep. He rolled onto his side, choosing to focus on trying to count the stains on his carpet. One, from a spilled cup of coffee; two, from paint that he had tried to use to cover up his bookshelf with. Three, a scorch mark caused by a prank war months ago that was only stopped when they nearly set the building on fire. Gilbert sat up, hearing a little bird cheeping at him from across the room. Smiling got off his bed and walked over to the desk, completely forgetting the stains.

"Sorry Gilbird, I just don't trust Tony's turtle." Opening the cage door, the little bird hopped out, nipping at his fingers. Sitting down, he picked up his bird and spun around slowly on the chair. He shouldn't have lied about Ivan's meetings. All it did was create more problems later, but it was taxing to have to relive the entirety of it over again. The hours of sitting at a table full of other scared idiots who joined a group that they didn't really want to be in, for reasons that they couldn't control, planning things that if police knew about would land them all in jail until they needed hearing aids.

The only good thing about tonight's meeting was that if he hadn't of been the last one to leave, he wouldn't have been there to walk Mathew to the coffee shop. The soft laugh that had filled the coffee house reverberated in his head as he remembered their encounter. He couldn't have been much younger than Gilbert and yet he was so calm, so assured. The transition from Ivan's meeting to the coffee house was like walking out of a raging fire to swim casually in a slightly chilled pool.

Gilbert stopped spinning.

He could almost remember Mathew from somewhere, one of his classes maybe? He did say something about college when they were talking. Wouldn't he have noticed the strange blond cowlick if he had been in the same class? Perhaps they had rode the same bus sometime? That didn't make sense either though; Gilbert definitely would have noticed the man then, Mathew's eyes would have caught his attention anywhere. The thought that he had brushed past this gem of a person on the street and not noticed made him feel slightly sick, but it was the most likely situation.

No, he knew Mathew Williams from _somewhere_ ; he just couldn't place it yet, but right now though where he remembered him from wasn't really important. What was was the question of when he could see him again. Even if it was just for a moment to grab coffee again, Gilbert would be satisfied.

Gilbert checked his phone and looked through the list of contacts, hesitating a moment before clicking on the newest one. Sending Mathew a text just after walking him home might come off as clingy and desperate, which he definitely was not, but Gilbert needed to hold onto the calm that he had felt in the coffee house. Not clingy, just...concerned. Yeah, that was it, he was worried about whether or not Birdie had made it to his apartment okay. After all he had dropped him off outside the building, but he didn't see him go inside the apartment. He quickly typed the text message.

 **Birdie**

 _What Gil_

 **I can't sleep.**

 _You drank three cups of coffee, last time I checked sleep is not one of the side effects of that._

 **I couldn't help it; the caffeine was calling my name**

 _You should see a doctor then._

Gilbert fought a laugh. The sarcastic messages were just enough to fight away the monsters in his memories. Yawning, he replied.

 **What class is your essay for again?**

 _The class of sass, I'm supposed to text back as sarcastically as possible and see when the other stops messaging me so I can do my work._

 **Funny, I thought you said it was for psychology?**

 _Same difference_

 **When is it due?**

 _About six hours from now_

 **How much do you have left?**

 _About four pages_

 **That's plenty of time let's go do something**

 _...We just did something_

 **But I'm bored**

 _And I don't want to fail_

 **BOOOOOooooooRRRRrrrEeeeEEEEd**

 _That doesn't even make sense Gilbert. Go to sleep_

 **Fine. Night Birdie (hope you finish your paper)**

 _Night Gilbert (me too)_

Laughing, Gilbert turned off his phone and smiled to himself. He went to stand up, forgetting for a moment that Gilbird was on his lap. The chick seemed to glare up at him from the floor and Gilbert immediately dropped down to pick him up.

"I am so sorry about, I was in a bit of a coffee driven craze." The bird just stared at him. Gilbert sighed, knowing he would regret this choice later.

"If I let you come with me tomorrow, will you forgive me?" The bird cheeped and nestled into his hands. Gently placing Gilbird back in his enclosure, Gilbert wandered over to his bed and fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Dreaming the night away with the feeling of floating along the shore in a crystal blue lake.


	4. Chapter 4

Mathew yawned. Even after several cups of coffee his brain refused to cooperate as Mathew tried to focus on his biopsychology homework. The branch class was confusing, a terrible example of why biology should never mix with psychology. Well, at least not at eight in the morning.

As he stood from the bench, the spring breeze ruffling the trees overhead. Taking a quick glance around the area Mathew noticed only a few others sitting in the campus park. Many of the other students probably opting out of their morning classes in favor of netflix and caffeine. A light sigh escaped Mathew's lips, the longing to head back to his apartment was only silenced by the driving force of his future diploma. If he could keep his grades high enough this semester he would be able to graduate with honors. Taking a deep breath of the chilled morning air Mathew gathered his books, worksheets, and laptops before sliding them into his bag. Throwing one of the straps over his shoulder, he rubbed at his eyes and began the trek to his next class.

Mathew was sleep deprived to the point of exhaustion, however, at least his essay had been finished in time. It was with this and the thoughts that followed that preocupied Mathew. He was so easily caught up in his thoughts that he nearly missed the figure nearly blending into the light fog. In fact if it hadn't of been for the bright yellow puff sitting on their shoulder, he might never have noticed. Even then, though, he might not have called out to the figure if he hadn't have noticed the bright red eyes that glanced at him as they walked away. For a moment Mathew would have sworn there was a glimmer of regret as they turned, but the figure began walking away too soon for him to be able to tell. As Mathew watched them walk away, he had the distinct urge to run after them. Suppressing it, he trudged towards class, trying to trace where the strange feeling may have from within himself, but there was nothing there to link it with anything that he had ever known.

All day he tried to place where the figure seemed familiar from. Mathew knew him, his walk, the distant clink of something metal, and he definitely knew those eyes from somewhere. The whole thought process felt extremely strange and yet eerily familiar as the day went on. It wasn't until he got home from classes that he remembered the man from last night. And that's also when it dawned on him just how thick headed he had been.

Mathew sighed, the window in front of him fogging ever so slightly as he watched the world pass him by. If he really wanted to, he could move to the balcony, it was a relatively nice day out and he had finished most of his homework in study hall.

But inside, alone with his mind, it was easier to picture the eyes that had haunted him all day. It shouldn't have mattered that his strange acquaintance was upset about something. He had just met the man last night, there was no reason to text him and see if he was fine , or if he was off his coffee buzz, or even maybe, just maybe, ask him to hang out.

Yet that's exactly what Mathew was planning on doing.

Mathew reached for his phone, and turned it over in his hands a few time as he questioned what to say. Last night finding the words had been easy, but whether that was due to his caffeine driven craze or because he was low on sleep, the moment had changed and now he was struggling to find a way to broach conversation with, what was his name again? Gilbert? Mathew sighed again, and began twisting the strings of his hoodie, a habit he had developed in his first year of college. _This is crazy,_ Mathew thought to himself. _just send him a text already._

Speaking of crazy, why had he even decided to hand out his phone number? It's not like Mathew had been one of those people to sleep around, he didn't go on blind dates, and he definitely didn't just hand out his number to people he had just met. Yet there it was, sitting in his contact list, a brand new name and number.

Biting his lip just slightly he opened up messaging and shot Gilbert a simple text.

 **Are you still alive?**

 _Of course Birdie, someone as awesome as I won't die for a long time._

 **Riiiiiiggggghhhhhttt, i'm sure that it is merely the power of your 'awesomeness' that you're still alive.**

For a moment, Mathew felt nervous. Worried, like a schoolgirl texting her crush, that he had said something soon as he noticed the emotion he chased it away. Writing it off as unease around people that were new to him and his style of joking. Something inside him churned when he thought this though, as if his body was fighting against him to say otherwise.

 _What an insulting tone you're typing in. Are you challenging the powers of my awesomeness?_

Mathew grinned, not caring for a moment that he was smiling like a fool over a text from someone he had just met. For a moment the only thing that mattered to him was that he was talking with someone he liked rather than tolerated.

 **Maybe i am.**

 _Well that just can't be allowed, something must be done so that you can see the truth of mein awesome way, Birdie._

 **What did you have in mind Gil?**

Even before he got the answer Mathew knew he would agree to go. If it meant that he would get a break from the soul sucking process that had been his college life so far, he would have jumped out of a plane. It's not that he hated school, it's simply that he needed a break every now and again. Just a short break until he could get his head out of the clouds and back into his books. He was already changed when he got a response.

 _Something crazy fun. Meet you at the coffee house in 20?_

Mathew grin grew ever so slightly and he grabbed his phone again. He was slipping into his sneakers as he hit send on the reply.

 **Be there in 10. I was craving caffeine anyways.**


	5. Chapter 5

Gilbert watched anxiously for Mathew to appear in the crowd of people walking down the street. Only realizing he was bouncing on the balls of his feet when the small bird nestled into the hood of his jacket began pecking at his neck.

"Ow! Gilbird!."

"Talking to yourself now gilbert? Maybe you should go see a doctor after all." The albino turned his attention to the boy behind him almost instantly. Taking in the plaid shirt and faded jeans. Something about the plaid reminded him of something, it made him uneasy.

"Hello? Earth to space man?" Gilbert blinked and found Mathew a lot closer than he had been a few minutes before. The blonde's hand pressed up against his forehead in a way that made Gilbert's face flush, Mathew didn't seem to notice as he backed up again.

"You're super warm, I was joking about the whole doctor thing but if you're not feeling well we can always hang out later." Gilbert scrambled to his sense. He wasn't about to give up on hanging out with his coffee buddy just because he was overheating or dehydrated or whatever had caused him to flush like that.

"No, I'm fine. Really. Now let's get some caffeine." He pulled the door open and bowed slightly, being as overdramatic as possible in an attempt to change topic.

"You're a dork." Mathew laughed, but entered the shop none the less.

"Why thank you kind sir." Sarcasm dripped from his words and Gilbert pretended not to notice that his cheeks were still just a little warmer than they had been before talking to the boy in the plaid shirt.

He entered behind Mathew and instantly the noise of outside life dropped to a hum, the background sounds of the Starbucks that of quiet conversations and the clinking of cups on tables. It was calming in an homey sort of way, but Gilbert couldn't help to feel just a tad on edge.

See, birds were classified as pets. And this happened to be a story where the standard no pets allowed rule applied. Now normally, this wasn't an issue seeing as how most of the coffee he drank was after it was socially expectable to do so for anyone not in college during finals season.

"Shit." He hissed, ducking behind Mathew. "Okay, listen. You have to act like I'm blind."

"What? Wh-"

"Just do it or they'll kick me out!" The man insisted and Mathew tilted his head slightly before nodding.

"Okay, here, hold on." Mathew extended his elbow and Gilbert straightened up, taking hold of it.

"Thanks."

"Sure, so what do you want to drink?"

"Um, do they have that Carmel espresso thing here?" Gilbert asked, staring straight ahead at the beige bricks behind the register.

"Yeah, but if you get something that high in sugar and caffeine I'm limiting you to two drinks."

"Harsh."

"More like, I'm not prepared to deal with you when you're super hyper."

"But I'm always super hyper."

"My point still stands."

"Wow, rude."

"What are you talking about? Mattie's never rude." Gilbert pretended not to be able to see the shorter man behind the counter, albeit that was hard when he was so loud. "Is this strange man bothering you?"

"No, it's fine feli. We're friends." Mathew laughed and Gilbert had to bite his cheek from looking beside him. It was definitely too hot in here, maybe he should ask for an iced something or other instead.

"Friends, ah, in that case welcome mr. bird man." Feliciano's welcome made the blonde man pause in his laughter, Gilbert shifting a little in his spot.

"What are you talking about?"

"There's a picture of him up in the break room with a big X over it. Mr. Boss man says that he's banned from the store because of his bird."

"But he doesn't have a bird, right Gilbert?" The silence grew between the three of them as Gilbert began to sweat just a little. Feliciano cleared his throat.

"The usual Mattie?"

"Yeah, and also a Butterbeer Frappuccino please."

"But I didn'-"

"Trust me, it's better." Mathew quickly cut him off. "You'll call when it's ready?"

"Yep." The shorter man popped his p and began to hum as he worked at the coffee machines. Meanwhile Mathew was guiding Gilbert slowly towards a table in the back before sitting on the opposite side and leaning forward.

"You have a bird?" Gilbert proceeded to make jazz hands, watching the way that Mathew's face slid from annoyed to annoyed but slightly amused. It wasn't perfect but it was still better than Mathew being mad at him.

"Surprise?" He croaked and the blonde sighed, pinching the bridge between his eyes before shaking his head and looking up.

"Is it with you?"

"Hey! Gilbird is not an it! He's a he!" Gilbert crossed his arms over his chest, and watched in silence as Mathew suddenly burst into hysterics.

"You- You named him….Gilbird?" The boy stuttered out in between laughs, and slowly people began to stare at them from around the room. Gilbert pretended not to notice them, and also not to notice that something in him lifted just a bit when Mathew started laughing.

"So?" He muttered, the fluff ball beginning to nestle up against the back of his neck, still hidden in the fabric. Biting his cheek to keep from laughing from the faint, tickling sensation he watched his companion wipe tears from his eyes from laughing so hard.

"It's literally just your name except a pun based off of the fact that he's a bird."

"Again, _so_?" Gilbert leaned forward, his arms resting on the table. Mathew just laughed.

"You're ridiculous." Mathew leaned forward, the two males dangerously close to one another, each oblivious to the whispers around the coffee shop.

"You love it."

"Well I don't hate it."

"Which means you love it." He argued and there was as small cheep from Gilbird in his hoodie. Mathew's eyes darted to the hoodie before meeting his again, the indigo colored orbs scrunching up ever so slightly from the smile he wasn't even trying to hide. "What can I say, I am pretty awesome after all. It's only natural you'd fall for me."

"I could just leave you here you know." Mathew argued, leaning back into the leather cushions of the booth. Gilbert smiled,

"But you won't."

"No." There was something warm in the pit of Gilberts stomach as Mathew spoke again, the blonde's cheeks ever so slightly pink. "No, I won't."

 _ **So guess who's not dead?**_

 _ **I really don't have a good excuse as to why this chapter took so long. Just know that it is out now and that instead of telling you I'm going to write chapters more often I'm just going to do it because honestly if you still trust me when I say that you're probably a saint or something.**_

 _ **Sorry if it's not as good as the chapters in the past, I feel like I'm making Mathew a little too snarky but at the same time I love love LOVE the headcanon that once he's comfortable with someone he's a sarcastic little bugger.**_

 _ **And he's very comfortable with Gilbert if you know what I mean.**_ _ ***wink wink* *nudge nudge* *other suggestive actions that don't directly imply what I mean but that you get the idea of what I'm saying from***_

 _ **All rights to their respective owners and all that good jazz.**_

 _ **See you in the next update folks.**_

 _ **Cherokeet, signing out.**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**All rights to their respective owners and all that jazz. I do not own Hetalia or the characters involved.**_

"Oh my god he's adorable." Mathew laughed as the bird snuggled into his hands. Gilbird's soft yellow feathers tickled the palm of his hand as Mathew gently pet him on the head. "I can see why they don't want him in Starbucks though, he might do something scandalous like _breathe_." Mathew rolled his eyes as he patted the yellow puff ball. The bird hadn't so much as cheeped since Gilbert had handed him over. In fact, Gilbird (which he was still silently convinced was the worst name possible) seemed to soak up the attention.

"He usually isn't like this, he's literally the shyest bird I have ever known." _Jealous._ Mathew realized quickly, smiling to himself.

"Aw, he's so cute though, how could someone as soft as you be shy?" Mathew became so wrapped up in petting the bird that he didn't notice how Gilbert's face flushed red- obviously from that heatstroke he had mentioned before. After all, he assured himself, there was no way it had anything to do with the extremely cute boy sitting next to him holding an extremely cute bird and _Jesus Christ Mathew was using baby talk on the chick dear lord have mercy on his soul._

"So why doesn't Feli know you can see?"

"Well, the manager of that store found out that I had a bird with me the one day right?" Mathew nodded along, the curl sticking out from the top of his hair bobbing distractedly. "So he told me that either I left the duck outside of I had better stop coming to get coffee there."

"Dick." Mathew whispered and Gilbert laughed. The blonde's face flushing when he realized he had sworn out loud.

"Yeah, he kinda is. But because of that instead of just saying that it wouldn't happen again I kinda ran with it and went off on a tangent about getting eye surgery the next day and losing my vision for the rest of my life and how I needed to train my seeing eye bird before that happened and long story short he was super skeptical and keeps looking for me to slip up so he can ban me from the store."

"Wow, I didn't know I kept such dangerous company." Mathew's tone of voice was extremely sarcastic but Gilbert pretended not to notice, leaning back on the bench until his elbows rested on the wooden frame.

"I know, but doesn't it help add to my rock star image?" Mathew snorted, glancing over.

"If that's what you call It sure." Gilbert placed a hand over his heart, letting his mouth fall open as if mortally wounded.

"Are you this rude to everyone Birdie?"

"No, just you, and sometimes my brother when he's being annoying." Gilbert pretended to ignore the way his stomach flipped over at the words. His cheeks growing just a bit warmer as he looked at the boy holding his pet bird.

"Wow, I must be special then." He said and Mathew snorted.

"Oh, you're special all right." And the flipping was over, but Gilbert was already leaning forward in defense anyways. His arms crossed over his chest as he spoke.

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing I just agreed with you!" Mathew defended, but his lips turned up at the corners into a smirk.

"I don't like your tone mister."

"Oh yeah, and what are you going to do about it then?" Gilbert leaned in, perhaps imagining the way that Mathew's eyes widened a bit behind his glasses before the albino reached up and bopped him on the nose.

"Tag." Gilbert took off in the opposite direction through the park, and Mathew sat there for just a moment or two before gently setting Gilbird on the bench getting up and bolting after him. It must have been a strange sight for anyone passing by the park, to see two men chasing after each other and laughing like school girls. But then again, this was a college town and weirder things had happened in broad daylight than this.

Mathew watched Gilbert slow slightly, the albino boy's speed decreasing as he slowly began to run out of energy. It wasn't long before he was in the home stretch, however just as he reached out to tag his friend he tripped, dragging Gilbert down with him into a mess of limbs, Gilbird watching the two from the sidelines.

"Ow." Gilbert murmured, Mathew quickly disentangling from him.

"Oh my god, I'm sorry. Are you okay? Hold on, don't move we should check if you have a concussion. Wait, how do you check for a concussion?" Gilbert sat up, watching as his friend began rambeling on at the speed of sound.

"Mathew." He tried, but the boy kept talking anyways.

"You probably hate me. Here, let me look up concussion signs on my phone. I really didn't mean to bring you down I just tripped-"

"MATHEW." Gilbert shouted and the blonde stopped rambling. He smiled, knocking on his head gently. "I'm fine, really." Mathew didn't say anything for a minute before silently letting out his breath, standing to help up the other.

"I still think like I should take you to the doctor." Gilbert stood, picking up the bird – who he swears was giving him a look – and securing him in the hood of his jacket before walking again.

"Wow, four mentions of a doctor in one visit, something you want to tell me? Anything you want to get off your chest?" Gilbert leaned in suggestively as Mat rolled his eyes, his hands still shaking just a bit.

"Yeah, your weight, do you eat bricks for breakfast?"

"Wow, calling your friend fat after you have ripped them to the ground, leaving them concussed." Gilbert wrapped an arm around Mathew's shoulders. "The least you can do is help me get to the hospital but all you've done is insult me."

"Your legs are fine Gil-" Mathew was quickly cut off from his retort as Gilbert winked at him.

"Thank you, glad you noticed."

"Oh," Mathew's face flushed red. "I didn't mean like _that,_ I-I just meant they can support your weight." Gilbert sighed dramatically.

"Okay, but we wouldn't have to go to the doctors if you hadn't given me a concussion."

"We don't know that I gave you a concussion!" Mathew shouted, but his voice was laced with laughter and the albino finally relaxed. His companion was obviously still a little distressed but not to the point of shaking as he had been just a few minutes ago.

Mathew had switched the conversation to something about hockey, remembering signs of a concussion from the times his teammates had gotten them from the game, and despite the fact that Gilbert didn't care that much about hockey before, he listened to the blonde boy as if it had become his favorite sport.

Which maybe, after seeing how happy Mathew was talking about it, it had.


End file.
